Manda's (Amachan) Experiments
Why varnish your models?
So plenty of people have been arguing about whether you should gloss coat first and then matt coat, just a matt coat or not use any varnish at all. Thus I have decided I am going to do a series of tests to see what and why. To start with I have 6 green bases, they are all primed with Vallejo Surface Primer Grey (74.601) and then basecoated with Vallejo Model Air Red RLM23 (71.003).
The Varnishes:
For the gloss varnish I am using Vallejo Gloss Acrylic Varnish (28.517), for the matt I use AK Interactive Ultra Matte Varnish (AK 183) and for the aerosol matt varnish I used The Army Painter Anti Shine Matt Varnish (Aerosol Can).
The Tools:
Now for the tools of testing, rubbing my finger over the unvarnished paint, did do anything, neither did my nails. So I am using a fibreglass brush, a plastic base and the GW mould line remover which has finally found use after laying in my tool tray for years.
The Tests:
This is the control test. Just paint, no varnish.
This was just the gloss varnish. The gloss varnish started to matt at the points that where hit, but no damage to the paint as far as I can see.
This is the pure matt varnish. It felt that the texture of this varnish made it easier for the tools to grip and thus easier to damage the paint. The varnish itself is nowhere near strong enough to resist the damage.
I had a feeling aerosol varnishes would react somewhat different to airbrush ones. While the anti shine is nowhere near as matt as the ultra matt varnish, the varnish is a lot tougher. Probably due to the texture being smoother and it not being an acrylic.
Gloss + matt varnish. This seems to agree with my earlier conclusions. The matt makes thing easier to grip and easier to damage, however the gloss coat under it does protect the paint a lot better than the ultra matte does on its own.
Gloss coat and then an aerosol varnish. Very similar results to the normal aerosol test, although there is a minuscule difference in that the gloss protects it a little better. The difference in negligible in my opinion.The Conclusion:
Not varnishing is an option when all you have is an airbrush matt varnish, however investing in a gloss and matt combo is the way to go for an airbrush only combination. Now the overal winner here is The Army Painter Anti Shine Matt Varnish (Aerosol Can) whether applied with a gloss or not it will protect your mini’s the best, but you are having to deal with the environment and the vapours of an aerosol.
Other brands of varnishes are available and I have only tested what I had to hand, but I think it gives a good idea of what varnishes do.
All paints and varnishes apart from the aerosol varnish were applied with the airbush.
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